Difference between revisions of "Spellbook of create monster"

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(Strategy: The strategy described is for advanced players who don't need advice; this is a more accurate version for new players)
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== Effects ==
 
== Effects ==
The spell of create monster is a [[clerical spell]]; when cast, it has a 72/73 chance of creating a single monster or horde, and a 1/73 chance of creating 2-5 miscellaneous monsters, as with an [[uncursed]] [[scroll of create monster]]. The monsters will ''almost'' always have a difficulty level at or below your current level, and a monsters normally generated in groups (such as [[orc]]s or [[ant]]s) will count as a single monster for the purposes of this spell.
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The spell of create monster is a [[clerical spell]]; when cast, it has a 72/73 chance of creating a single monster or horde, and a 1/73 chance of creating 2-5 miscellaneous monsters, as with an [[uncursed]] [[scroll of create monster]]. The monsters will ''almost'' always have a difficulty level at or below your current level, and a monsters normally generated in groups (such as [[orc]]s or [[ant]]s) will count as a single monster for the purposes of this spell. The monsters may be [[peaceful]] with the normal probability, but will never be tame; this is ''not'' a "create [[pet]]" spell.
  
 
== Strategy ==
 
== Strategy ==
:''See also: [[farming]]''
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Create monster is a rather niche utility spell, of little use to most early-to-mid game players. The monsters it creates are the same ones the game is happy to throw at you with no expenditure of resources on your part. If you're near an altar and have [[energy]] to spare, you might get some [[luck]] or an [[artifact weapon]] if the spell happens to generate monsters which leave corpses. The potential gains must be balanced against the risk of summoning something dangerous like a [[leocrotta]] or swarm of [[soldier ant]]s, especially if you've just expended the last of your energy on this very spell.
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Players with little food available might be able to use this spell to generate [[nutrition]], either from the monsters' corpses or their [[death drop]]s, ''if'' they can cast the spell reliably (a failed cast still burns 20 nutrition), the monsters created can leave corpses, do leave corpses, and the corpses are safe to eat and are filling enough to be worth it. Non-[[wizard]]s are unlikely to find the spell nutrition-positive before the depths where starvation ceases to be a threat.
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If your [[Quest]] generates monsters with useful corpses, this spell might create several of them more quickly than simply waiting for them to be generated.
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Like other low-level spells, this one can be used to train [[skill]] in [[clerical spells]], in preparation for casting the higher-level spells of {{spell of|remove curse}} and/or {{spell of|turn undead}}.
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Late-game characters with the [[Eye of the Aethiopica]] may use this spell for altar [[farming]].
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<!-- :''See also: [[farming]]''
 
Create monster is a very useful utility spell, and is primarily employed for various types of [[farming]]. The most common such use by far is [[altar farming|farming]] at [[altar]]s: using repeated [[sacrifice]]s, a player can drive up their [[Luck]], obtain [[sacrifice gift]]s, and/or gather divine favors through [[pray]]er. While much more reusable compared to the scroll, spells cannot be cast while confused to create hordes of non-threatening [[acid blob]]s.
 
Create monster is a very useful utility spell, and is primarily employed for various types of [[farming]]. The most common such use by far is [[altar farming|farming]] at [[altar]]s: using repeated [[sacrifice]]s, a player can drive up their [[Luck]], obtain [[sacrifice gift]]s, and/or gather divine favors through [[pray]]er. While much more reusable compared to the scroll, spells cannot be cast while confused to create hordes of non-threatening [[acid blob]]s.
  
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Though much less reliable, the spell can also be used are a source of food and intrinsics. Freshly generated monsters can be killed and served to a hungry [[pet]] (or pet-to-be); keep carnivorous pets away from [[shapeshifter]] corpses unless you're fine with allowing them to [[polymorph]], and be mindful of monsters with passives. While it can also provide food for the caster, casting the spell still uses up nutrition, and not all generated monsters will leave suitable corpses if they leave one at all; using this for intrinsic gain is similarly unreliable. However, this is dependent on the role, particularly due to the mechanics of [[quest]] [[branch]] monster generation.
 
Though much less reliable, the spell can also be used are a source of food and intrinsics. Freshly generated monsters can be killed and served to a hungry [[pet]] (or pet-to-be); keep carnivorous pets away from [[shapeshifter]] corpses unless you're fine with allowing them to [[polymorph]], and be mindful of monsters with passives. While it can also provide food for the caster, casting the spell still uses up nutrition, and not all generated monsters will leave suitable corpses if they leave one at all; using this for intrinsic gain is similarly unreliable. However, this is dependent on the role, particularly due to the mechanics of [[quest]] [[branch]] monster generation.
  
{{upcoming|3.7.0|Pets will no longer eat shapeshifter corpses unless they are starving or on the verge of untaming.}}
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{{upcoming|3.7.0|Pets will no longer eat shapeshifter corpses unless they are starving or on the verge of untaming.}} -->
 
 
 
===Extinction===
 
===Extinction===
 
[[File:Extin.png|thumb|right|An extinctionist wizard has filled an entire level with monsters by repeatedly casting create monster.]]
 
[[File:Extin.png|thumb|right|An extinctionist wizard has filled an entire level with monsters by repeatedly casting create monster.]]
 
The spell of create monster is the central spell for [[extinction]]ist players, as it is by far the most reliable method to create large amounts of monsters for the challenge. [[Wizard]]s and [[Priest]]s are not only the most adept casters for the spell by far, but can also farm [[wraith]]s with some reliably in order to increase their level and [[power]] reserves.
 
The spell of create monster is the central spell for [[extinction]]ist players, as it is by far the most reliable method to create large amounts of monsters for the challenge. [[Wizard]]s and [[Priest]]s are not only the most adept casters for the spell by far, but can also farm [[wraith]]s with some reliably in order to increase their level and [[power]] reserves.
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==See also==
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*[[scroll of create monster]]
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*[[wand of create monster]]
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*[[spellbook of create familiar]]: Creates a single monster, usually tame.
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*[[summon nasties]]
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*[[summon insects]]
  
 
==Variants==
 
==Variants==

Revision as of 19:27, 20 June 2021

spellbook of
+   create monster   Light green spellbook.png
Appearance random
Abundance 3.56%
Base price 200 zm
Weight 50
Turns to read 3
Ink to write 10–19
Spell type clerical
Level 2
Power cost 10 Pw
Direction non-directional
Equivalent scroll of create monster
wand of create monster

In NetHack, the spellbook of create monster allows you to learn the spell of create monster.

Generation

Randomly generated spellbooks have a ~3.56% chance of being a spellbook of create monster. Aligned priests have a chance of being generated with one among their set of spellbooks.

Priests may begin the game with a spellbook of create monster as one of their two starting spellbooks, while wizards have a chance to receive this as their starting non-force bolt spellbook.

Effects

The spell of create monster is a clerical spell; when cast, it has a 72/73 chance of creating a single monster or horde, and a 1/73 chance of creating 2-5 miscellaneous monsters, as with an uncursed scroll of create monster. The monsters will almost always have a difficulty level at or below your current level, and a monsters normally generated in groups (such as orcs or ants) will count as a single monster for the purposes of this spell. The monsters may be peaceful with the normal probability, but will never be tame; this is not a "create pet" spell.

Strategy

Create monster is a rather niche utility spell, of little use to most early-to-mid game players. The monsters it creates are the same ones the game is happy to throw at you with no expenditure of resources on your part. If you're near an altar and have energy to spare, you might get some luck or an artifact weapon if the spell happens to generate monsters which leave corpses. The potential gains must be balanced against the risk of summoning something dangerous like a leocrotta or swarm of soldier ants, especially if you've just expended the last of your energy on this very spell.

Players with little food available might be able to use this spell to generate nutrition, either from the monsters' corpses or their death drops, if they can cast the spell reliably (a failed cast still burns 20 nutrition), the monsters created can leave corpses, do leave corpses, and the corpses are safe to eat and are filling enough to be worth it. Non-wizards are unlikely to find the spell nutrition-positive before the depths where starvation ceases to be a threat.

If your Quest generates monsters with useful corpses, this spell might create several of them more quickly than simply waiting for them to be generated.

Like other low-level spells, this one can be used to train skill in clerical spells, in preparation for casting the higher-level spells of remove curse and/or turn undead.

Late-game characters with the Eye of the Aethiopica may use this spell for altar farming.

Extinction

An extinctionist wizard has filled an entire level with monsters by repeatedly casting create monster.

The spell of create monster is the central spell for extinctionist players, as it is by far the most reliable method to create large amounts of monsters for the challenge. Wizards and Priests are not only the most adept casters for the spell by far, but can also farm wraiths with some reliably in order to increase their level and power reserves.

See also

Variants

FIQHack

In FIQHack, this spellbook is replaced with the spellbook of summoning.